Puzzles Under The Hill
- June 10, 2016
- EnsenaSoft
- 86h median play time
Get on SteamPuzzles Under The Hill features Pamela Possum taking a stroll to visit her best friend Sammy Squirrel. Along the way, Pamela collects shiny jewels unveiling wonderful jigsaw challenges, featuring beautiful imagery from the National Gallery of Art.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features nice artwork and a relaxing atmosphere, making it suitable for casual play.
- It is designed for younger audiences, providing a simple and easy jigsaw puzzle experience that can be enjoyable for kids.
- The game includes trading cards, which can be a fun addition for players who enjoy collecting.
- The puzzles are excessively easy, lacking any real challenge, which may disappoint adult players looking for a more complex experience.
- There are no options to customize settings, such as turning off the repetitive music, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- The graphics and overall presentation are subpar, with many players finding the images unappealing and the gameplay monotonous.
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the beautiful and relaxing classical guitar soundtrack, others find it repetitive and frustrating due to the inability to turn it off. The lack of variety in both music and scenery can detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite these criticisms, some users express a desire to purchase the soundtrack, indicating that the music has its merits.
“The music is pretty, the pace relaxing, and the animations are pretty good.”
“But the puzzles you solve are all of impressionist paintings, and the whole game is set to a lovely meditative soundtrack of classical guitar.”
“Good music and beautiful pics.”
“Can't turn music off and it's very repetitive music.”
“Anything I hate the most is when you can't turn the music off in any game.”
“The lack of change in scenery, re-using all the assets, and using the same music starts to heavily grind on you by then and the contemplative relaxed feel starts to seriously thin out.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the relaxing visuals and the representation of fine European artwork, others find them lacking and not particularly impressive. Overall, the game's aesthetic is seen as a pleasant backdrop for a casual puzzle experience, but it may not meet the expectations of those seeking high-quality graphics.
“Nice relaxing game..putting puzzle pieces together..great graphics and good controls.”
“Just relax, take an easy chair, sit back and let the game lead you through some fine European artwork of the late 19th and early 20th century.”
“While it is not a completely bad jigsaw game, the puzzles are way too easy and the graphics leave a lot to be desired.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's story features a whimsical narrative centered around a female rat navigating a charmingly rendered Hobbiton in pursuit of a romantic adventure with her neighbor, complemented by a lighthearted tone and cute characters. While the storyline is simple and geared towards a younger audience, it also incorporates darker themes and a compelling soundtrack, appealing to a broader range of players. Overall, the narrative serves as a charming backdrop to the puzzle-solving experience.
“The game features a charming story about navigating a female rat around a dated 3D rendition of Hobbiton as she tries to go on a romantic fling over fish with her attractive rat neighbor.”
“The cute cartoon opossum, the periodic inane verse, the slow pace, and the cutely saccharine storyline all suggest that this game was made for children.”
“If you can brace yourself for the compelling story, great soundtrack, and the dark themes, this is a perfect game for you.”
“The game also has a story about navigating a female rat around a dated 3D rendition of Hobbiton as she tries to go on a romantic fling over fish with her hot rat neighbor.”
“The cute cartoon opossum, the periodic inane verse, the slow pace, the cutely saccharine storyline, and the fact that the puzzles all have helpful lines showing the layout of pieces suggest that this game was made for children.”
“Cute little puzzle game that has a small story along with your puzzles.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for being overly simplistic and geared towards a younger audience, primarily focusing on puzzle-solving mechanics that may not engage adult players.
“The gameplay is primarily focused on puzzle-solving, requiring players to strategically place pieces together.”
“The mechanics are engaging and encourage critical thinking, making each puzzle a rewarding challenge.”
“The variety of puzzles keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting, ensuring that players remain invested throughout.”
“The gameplay is too simplistic for an adult to enjoy.”
“The only actual gameplay consists of puzzle-based mechanics, like assembling pieces of a puzzle.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players criticize the grinding aspect of the game for its excessive asset re-use, leading to a lack of freshness and making the experience feel slow and tedious. This repetitive nature can test players' patience, turning what should be engaging gameplay into a frustrating chore.
“The re-use of assets is heavy; the game loses any freshness and it becomes a really slow, tedious, time-wasting grind that will test your patience more than anything else.”
“Grinding feels like an endless chore, where progress is painfully slow and the rewards are minimal.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel more like a job than a fun experience.”
